a blow on the back of the neck by some blunt instrument, but I judge
of the violence which must have been used, from other circumstances,
namely, the freshness of the body, the rigidity of the limbs, the
swollen state of the face, the bloodshot eyes, and their perfect
freshness.
In answer to a question by Mr. Swabey, the witness said that the
superficial dirt on the thighs, belly and chest of the deceased, might
have been done designedly or by accident. Trailing the body along a
dirty floor would leave such marks.
Mr. MINSHULL.--Could the deceased have committed suicide?
WITNESS.--It is just barely possible that a person might inflict a blow
on the back of his own neck which would cause death. It was, however,
exceedingly improbable, and almost impossible.
Mr. BEAMAN said, he could not see how suicide could be at all effected
in that way. A man might certainly break the back part of his neck,
by flinging himself from a height on a bar, but he could not, in his
opinion, inflict the same injury on himself, by means of a stick or
bludgeon.
Mr. THOMAS MILLS, a dentist, residing on Newington Causeway, having
been sworn, stated, that on Saturday morning, the 5th of November
last, the prisoner May came to his shop and offered him a set of teeth
for sale, for which he asked a guinea. Witness observed that one of
the front teeth was chipped, and said that it did not belong to the
set: upon which May said, 'Upon my soul to God, they all belonged to
one head, and that not long since, and that the body had never been
buried.' He ultimately agreed to take twelve shillings for the teeth.
Mr. CORDER asked the witness, if he had not observed something peculiar
about the teeth.
WITNESS.--Yes, portions of the gums were adhering to them, and part
of the jaw-bone. There could be no doubt, but that the teeth had been
forcibly removed immediately after death. I said to May, that from
appearance the teeth belonged to a female. His reply was, 'the fact is
they belonged to a lad about 14 or 15 years of age.'
While this witness was giving his evidence, the prisoner May appeared
for the first time to change countenance, and lose that hardness of
nerve, which distinguished him throughout the whole of the proceedings.
He stared at the witness at first rather wildly, and compressed his
lips while listening attentively to the evidence, and as soon as it was
concluded, he endeavoured to resume his composure, and forced a laugh;
but almost in a moment afterwards, his countenance underwent another
change, and he muttered to himself, as he looked over to the witness,
'The b----y rascal.' He then asked the witness, if he was quite sure of
the exact words he had used, when he brought him the teeth, with regard
to the body not having been buried.
WITNESS.--You said that the body had never been buried.
Mr. THOMAS, the superintendent of the police, was then examined, and
repeated the evidence he had given before the coroner. He went to the
house of the last witness, who gave him the twelve teeth now produced.
The hamper and sack which contained the body were here produced, the
latter had stains of blood upon it.
HIGGINS, a police constable of the F division, produced a heavy iron
instrument, one end of which was bent and nearly as sharp as a chisel,
and the other thick and round. He also produced a brad-awl clotted
with blood. A question arose as to the use to which the latter had
been applied, when May at once said, 'I took the teeth out with that
brad-awl.'
The other instrument was then handed to Mr. Partridge, who gave it as
his opinion, that the sharp end might have inflicted the wound on the
forehead of the deceased, and that the thick rounded end was likely
to have inflicted the blow on the back of the neck, and which, in his
opinion, was the immediate cause of death.
The witness Higgins said, that he found these instruments, together
with a rope with a noose at the end of it (which he produced) at the
house of Bishop. He also found the pair of breeches now produced,
belonging to the prisoner, and he discovered the marks of blood upon
them. He saw some fresh blood on the floor of the room, where he found
the breeches.
MAY explained that the blood was that of a jackdaw, which cut its leg,
and afterwards hopped upon the breeches.
Mr. THOMAS said, that, in fairness, he must say, that as the breeches
were not found until a week after the prisoner was taken into custody,
he thought that the blood was entirely too fresh to connect it with the
murder.
KIRKMAN, a police constable, proved that he was in plain clothes, in
the station-house at Covent Garden, on the evening of the 10th inst.,
when the prisoners were brought there, for the purpose of appearing
before the inquest, which was then sitting. He observed the prisoner
Bishop reading a bill pasted upon the wall, announcing that a boy had
been murdered, and was then lying for examination at the bone-house.
As soon as he had read the bill, Bishop observed to May, in a low tone
of voice, 'It was the blood that sold us.' He then got up and read the
bill again, repeating the words 'Marks of violence on the body;' then
turning to May again, he said, 'There were no marks of violence on the
body, but only a few breaks in the skin;' and as he said so, he sat
down, smiling.
BISHOP admitted that he had read the bill over, but denied the
expressions imputed to him.
MARGARET KING, a decent-looking woman, in an advanced state of
pregnancy, was then called forward and sworn. She stated, that on
Thursday fortnight, about one o'clock, she was standing with her
children in Birdcage Walk, near Nova Scotia Gardens, when she saw an
Italian boy, whom she had frequently seen before in the neighbourhood
of Bethnal Green, standing at the corner of Nova Scotia Gardens, with a
little box slung before him. He stood about thirty yards from where she
was standing. She never saw that boy since. He had his back to her, but
still she was sure he was the same boy whom she had seen so frequently
before. He had either a box or a cage with him.
Mr. MINSHULL.--Are you sure it was on a Thursday you saw him where you
have just described?
WITNESS.--I am sure it was on a Thursday, because it was my washing
day. It was on the Thursday before the 5th of November. I heard some
gentlemen speaking about the awful murder that had been committed on
the body of a poor Italian boy, and I immediately said, 'Dear me, I saw
a boy such as is described, standing at the end of Nova Scotia Gardens
a short time ago.'
Mrs. PARRAGALLI, who had been before examined, was again called
forward, to prove that she knew the deceased, and had frequently seen
him about the streets carrying a cage, with white mice in it. On the
1st inst. she saw him in Oxford-street, and had since seen his body at
the station-house.
BISHOP.--Are you quite certain that the boy you saw in Oxford-street
was the same boy whose body lay at the station-house?
WITNESS.--I have no doubt of it. He used to carry about his little
cage, suspended in front by a string across his shoulders. At a
distance, the cage might appear like a box.
Mr. CORDER was about to put in evidence the statements which the
prisoners had severally made before the Coroner, when
Mr. MINSHULL said, that it would perhaps be better to defer receiving
that evidence at present.
Mr. MINSHULL then, addressing the prisoners, told them that they would
be remanded to that day week, when they would again be brought forward
for further examination. He deemed it right to apprise them that other
evidence would be produced against them, and said, if they wished to
say anything, he was willing to hear them.
The prisoners declined saying anything, and were removed from the bar
to the lock-up room at the back of the office, strongly guarded, and in
custody of Dodd, the jailer.
The wife of Bishop, and Rhoda Head, alias Williams, wife of the
prisoner Williams, were then brought forward, and remanded until the
following Tuesday. Mrs. Bishop had been the wife of Bishop's father by
a second marriage; so that his wife is also his mother-in-law. Rhoda
Williams alias Head is Bishop's sister.
When the prisoners left Bow-street in the prison van, they were
assailed by the groans of a large concourse of persons, who had been
waiting for several hours to see them.
On the evening of the same day that the prisoners had been examined
at Bow-street, an Italian, named Augustine Bruen, or Brin, the master
of the ill-fated boy, arrived in town from Birmingham, with the view
of identifying the body, for which purpose it was disinterred early
on Saturday morning, the 19th. Although it was, of course, difficult
to swear positively to a body which had undergone the operations of
the surgeons, and was partially decomposed, the master appeared to
entertain no doubt of its being the remains of the boy whom he had
brought from Sardinia, and whose name, he said, was Carlo Ferrair,
or Ferrari. He spoke positively to the colour of the hair and eyes,
and also as to the height of the body, which particulars corresponded
exactly with the description of the boy, who had left his service
about a year ago, and had since been wandering about town, exhibiting
his cage of white mice. The master having satisfied himself as to the
identity of the body, it was once more interred.
We understand that this Bruen, or Brin, is the master of a juvenile
crew of poor, ragged, half-starved little urchins, who are brought
to this country as matters of speculation; and the following curious
particulars connected with this tribe of travelling mendicants to which
Carlo Ferrari belonged, will, we have no doubt, prove interesting to
our readers.
The haunts of these unfortunate beings are in Vine-street, Saffron
Hill, Bleeding-heart Yard on Holborn Hill, Coal Yard in Drury Lane,
and in the purlieus of Shoreditch. Whole houses are occupied by these
wretched boys, who sleep eight or nine in a bed. Each boy's monkey
is chained near him every night on going to rest, and the other
curiosities are placed in situations appointed to the owners; so that,
on starting out in the morning, each boy takes his own companion. On
the ground floors reside the men, some Italian and some English, to
whom the monkeys, &c., really belong; and they provide each boy with
lodging at fourpence a night, with a basin of gruel in the morning,
upon starting on their peregrinations, having first paid the master for
the use of whatever curiosity they may take with them to exhibit. The
following are the charges made by the proprietors upon the juvenile
crew.
For a porcupine (very novel, there being only two) and an organ, 4_s._
per day, being 2_s._ 6_d._ for the porcupine, and 1_s._ 6_d._ for the
organ.
For a monkey (undressed), 2_s._ per day.
For a monkey in uniform, 3_s._ per day.
For a box of white mice, 1_s._ 6_d._ per day.
For a tortoise, 1_s._ 6_d._ per day.
For a dog and monkey (the latter may be frequently seen in the street
riding on the dog's back), 3_s._ per day.
For dancing dogs, four in number, including dresses, spinning-wheel,
pipe and tabor, &c., 5_s._ per day.
For a box of wax figures of the Siamese twins, 2_s._ per day.
For an organ with figures waltzing, 3_s._ 6_d._ per day.
Some of these boys, by their artlessness of manner and gesticulations,
it is said, obtain six or seven shillings a day, and some more. One
of them being asked, what was the largest sum he ever received in
one day, replied, fifteen shillings, which he accounted for in the
following manner:--One day he was ambulating about the Marine Parade,
at Brighton, with his dog and monkey on his back, when a gentleman
offered him fifteen shillings to allow him to throw a stone into the
sea for the dog to fetch. The boy consented, the stone was thrown, and
away jumped the dog with the monkey into the sea; the monkey fastened
tight round the dogs neck, and both reaching the beach in safety, the
boy received the premium.
To return to our melancholy subject. It having been intimated to Mr.
Minshull, that it would be advisable that the premises occupied by
the prisoner Bishop, in Nova Scotia Gardens, Bethnal Green, should
be strictly searched, and the garden ground dug up, Mr. Thomas, and
some of his constables, together with Mr. Corder and Mr. Cribb, who
was foreman of the coroner's jury, proceeded to the spot on Saturday
morning, the day after the prisoners had been examined in Bow-street,
when a strict search was commenced, first in the house, even the tiles
of which were examined, and next in the privy, which is situate in the
garden, and is detached from the dwelling. After some delay and much
labour, several pieces of human flesh were raised from the soil, and
also the scalp of a head, which was evidently that of a female, from
the profusion of dark brown hair which was found attached to it. It was
supposed that the body to which these discovered portions had belonged,
was a subject stolen from a churchyard, and afterwards cut up, in order
to dispose of the limbs and other parts separately for the purpose of
dissection; a practice which, we understand, is not unusual with those
who follow the trade of body-snatching, and who often obtain as high
a price for a muscular and well-formed leg or arm as for an ordinary
body. Having made this discovery, Mr. Thomas directed his men to dig
up the garden, in the hope that something more might be discovered
connected with the horrible traffic in which the prisoners had been
engaged, and possibly tending to throw additional light upon the case
which is more immediately the subject of inquiry. Two constables were
accordingly set to work with spades and other implements, and having
dug up nearly the whole of the garden, without finding any thing of
importance, that portion of it which formed a path from the house to
the further end next attracted attention, from the circumstance that
the clay, although much trodden, appeared to have been heaped together
for some other object than merely the forming of a pathway. The two
constables were then directed to dig up this portion of the garden;
and an instrument called a searcher, having been made use of for the
purpose, in consequence of the hardness of the soil, a child's blue
jacket was dug up, and a pair of black cloth trowsers, corresponding
in size, followed almost immediately after. The brace button-holes of
the latter were torn, as if force had been used in pulling the trowsers
from the body. Two pieces of riband, used as braces, were attached to
the brace-buttons. The pattern of the riband is a white ground with red
stripes. The jacket, which appeared to have been made for a boy of very
tender age, and which was probably his first, was made of good blue
cloth, with a double row of covered buttons on the left side. A shirt,
corresponding in size with these clothes, was discovered. Having dug
further, a coarse blue coat was next discovered, and also a pair of
trowsers, made of coarse grey cloth, together with a striped waistcoat
and an old shirt. These articles were apparently made to fit a boy
of about fourteen or fifteen years of age. The trowsers were patched
on the knees, and stains of blood were discovered on the waistcoat.
The coat was of a peculiar cut, and resembled those worn by charity
school-boys. After the discovery of these clothes, an application was
made to Mrs. King, who, it will be remembered, had seen an Italian
boy, with a cage slung before him, on the morning of Thursday, the 3d
instant, in Nova Scotia Gardens; and her description of the coat which
the boy wore agrees both in colour and cut with the one which was thus
discovered.
These facts, with others that came to light in the course of the same
day (Saturday), induced Mr. Thomas, and Messrs. Corder and Cribb, to
wait on Mr. Minshull, at Bow-street Office, on Saturday night, for the
purpose of requesting that, in consequence of the additional evidence
received, a special examination of the prisoners should take place at
as early a period as possible.
Mr. MINSHULL, to whom the additional evidence was detailed, considered
it of so much importance, that he expressed his willingness to send for
the prisoners that night, in order to proceed with the investigation
at once, or, if necessary for the ends of justice, he was willing to
devote Sunday for that object. It was subsequently arranged that the
examination of the prisoners should take place on Monday at twelve
o'clock.
In consequence of the advanced state of pregnancy of Mrs. King, who,
it will be seen, is a material witness in the case, it was at first
supposed that the trial of the prisoners must have been deferred until
after the Old Bailey Sessions next ensuing. To obviate this difficulty,
Mr. Corder applied to Mr. Minshull, to have the deposition of Mrs. King
taken specially, and certified, in which case, he said, it was ruled by
the judges, that it might be admitted as evidence on the trial of the
prisoners.
Mr. MINSHULL at once agreed in the propriety of the application, and
gave directions accordingly.
Consistently with this arrangement, Bishop, May, Williams, and Shields,
were brought forward on Monday the 21st, for the purpose of undergoing
a special re-examination.
Mr. Minshull presided on the bench, and was assisted by Mr. Halls, Dr.
Robinson, and Mr. Mallard. Lord Montford and other county magistrates
were also present, and the office was crowded in every part. Several
hundred persons were assembled in Bow-street, to learn the result of
the examination and catch a sight of the prisoners.
Mr. MINSHULL directed Dodd, the jailer, to place the prisoners at
the bar, and in a few minutes afterwards they entered the dock, and
answered to their names. Bishop appeared to be considerably depressed
in spirits, and as the examination proceeded and new facts came out
against him, his countenance fell, and his eyes, which are full and
prominent, assumed a glassy appearance, as he listened apparently with
intense anxiety to the witnesses. The prisoner May appeared also to
pay particular attention to the evidence, and it was observed, that
during the examination, he displayed, except on one occasion, none of
that indifference and levity which marked his former conduct. Williams,
who has evidently less nerve than either of his companions, betrayed
a restless anxiety as the case proceeded, and on several occasions
his colour changed, and his lips grew white and dry. As to the old
man, Shields, who was placed rather apart from the others, and against
whom no other evidence has yet been produced, except the fact of his
having carried the body in a hamper to the King's College, with a full
knowledge of its contents, he stood upright in the dock, in a sort of
half stupor, without once changing his position during the three hours
and a half which were occupied in the examination.
As soon as the prisoners were ranged at the bar,
Mr. CORDER said, that it would be merely requisite at present to
produce such further testimony as would be necessary to fill up the
links in the chain of evidence already brought forward.
JOHN ATKINSON was then sworn, and identified the hamper.
EDWARD CHANDLER deposed, that he was waiter at the King of Denmark
watering-house, Old Bailey. On the evening of Friday, the 4th of
November, he saw the prisoners May and Bishop, both of whom he had
previously known, at that house. They came there about five o'clock,
and witness served them with some tea. The witness Seagrove was there
at the same time. The prisoners called for half a pint of gin, with
which he (witness) served them. He drank a glass of the gin himself,
and his fellow servant had another. May also drank a glass of the gin,
and chucked a glass into Bishop's tea.
Mr. CORDER.--Did Bishop make any observation when the glass of gin was
put into his tea by May?
WITNESS.--Yes, Bishop said to May when he did this, 'Are you going to
hocus me, or burke me?'
Mr. MINSHULL asked the witness if he knew the meaning of the word
'hocus?' (This word has been erroneously spelt as _locus_.)
Mr. HARMER, who attended this and the former examination, to assist the
prosecution, explained that the word was well known, in cant language,
to describe the act of putting a man in a state of stupidity.
WITNESS, upon being questioned more particularly as to which of the
prisoners, May or Bishop, used the phrase which he had mentioned,
ascribed it first to one and then to the other, upon which May and
Bishop both laughed. The witness, however, who appeared somewhat
confused, said that the words were used by Bishop when May poured the
gin into his cup.
HENRY MANN, driver of the hackney-coach No. 985, was the next witness
examined. He stated that he was in Bridge-street, Blackfriars, on the
evening of the 4th of November, between the hours of five and six
o'clock, when he was applied to by the prisoner May, to take up a fare
in Bridge-street, and go to Bethnal-green.
Mr. MINSHULL.--Can you swear it was the prisoner May who applied to
you? Look round and see if you can point him out.
WITNESS.--I know it was May, for I knew him before. There was another
man in company at the time, but I cannot say it was one of the other
prisoners.
Mr. MINSHULL.--Did they tell you where you were to go from
Bethnal-green?
WITNESS.--No; they did not tell me where I was to go. I declined to go
with them.
Dr. ROBINSON.--What was your reason for declining the job?
WITNESS.--My horses had not finished their corn, and I had not taken my
tea. Besides, I had another reason--I knew what May was, and that was
principally the cause of my declining to go with him.
MARGARET KING, who had on a former examination stated, that she saw
an Italian boy standing close to Bishop's house, on Thursday the 3d
instant, was again called forward, and her evidence having been read
over,
Mr. MINSHULL asked her if she recollected how the boy was dressed, whom
she had seen on the day in question? She replied, that she recollected
no part of his dress, except that he wore a dark blue coat or jacket.
[Another female witness on the trial swore that it was a dark
green.--Ed.] The boy's dress appeared to be shabby, such as other boys
wore who went about the streets.
WITNESS did not remember whether the boy had a cap or a hat on.
Mr. MINSHULL then addressed the prisoners, saying, he had told them
before, and now repeated, that they might, if they thought fit, put
what questions they pleased to the several witnesses who appeared
against them.
MAY said he was aware of that. The prisoners then declined to put any
questions to Mrs. King.
JOHN KING, son of the last witness, stated, that he remembered his
mother's washing-day before the last; it was on a Thursday. I saw an
Italian boy standing at the corner of Nova Scotia Gardens, facing
Birdcage Walk; I was looking out at our loft door at the time, and I
asked my mother to let me see what the boy had in his cage or box. She
refused to let me go and see.
Mr. CORDER.--Can you describe the way in which the Italian boy stood?
WITNESS.--He stood with his right foot turned out, and, I think, his
arms were resting on the box or cage, which he carried before him. He
wore a brown hairy cap.
Mr. CORDER.--Have you any recollection what sort of leaf or shade the
cap had got?
WITNESS.--It was lined with green.
Mr. MINSHULL.--What time would it take you to go from where the boy was
standing to Bishop's house?
WITNESS.--It would not take me more than half a minute.
Mr. MINSHULL.--Had you ever seen the boy before?
WITNESS.--I think I have seen him about before; he used to carry a doll
with two heads in a glass case. I saw him about a month ago. He looked
like the same boy. I have not seen him since the Thursday I saw him in
the gardens; he was then standing to see if any one would come and see
what he had to show. I did not see him go away.